Growing up, I didn't appreciate classical music. I thought Beethoven was a kids movie involving a Saint Bernard. Classical was either for old people or for one who flew over the cuckoo's nest. I vaguely remember my dad telling me about Arthur Fiedler and how great of a conductor he was. Yeah dad, sure. Whatever you say (rolling my eyes, making sure he didn't see me for fear of the whap). It wasnt until the military, being stationed in Germany, that I heard Toccata and Fugue being played live in an old cathedral in Darmstadt. If I remember correctly, my eyes actually watered from the beauty of the sound. "Oh, THIS is music!" As opposed to all the rubbish I've been listening to my whole life (well, except Skynyrd!). My ears were opened to a whole new experience. Since that day, I never turned my back on classical music. Bach and me were buddies for life.
Going back a few years before that experience, I remember picking up a violin and trying to run the bow over it's strings. After all, it couldn't be that difficult making a sound that at least didn't shatter glass. Well, after sweeping up what used to be my mom's glass vase, I quickly realized that this was no easy task. To this day I greatly admire those who can play ANY musical instrument. All I can play is my CD player!
Anyway, what got me thinking, is that in order to make Toccata and Fugue sound like a work of art, one must follow a conductor and only then, after years and years of labor intensive practice and discipline, can one be ready to play in the Pops. Another thing that comes to mind is no matter how beautiful the individual instruments sound, there is nothing like listening to them in a symphony. So it is with the church. It takes years of practicing God's presence, reading His Word and living out what you learn with discipline as a child of the Father, the great Composer. As we mature, we find our "place", our "instrument" and we join those in following Christ the Conductor of this beautiful symphony called life. Imagine what our Father hears when his musicians are in symphony with one another. I'll bet His eyes get watery too!
